Wild Republic, a leader in nature-inspired toys and education for over 40 years, is celebrating the success of its founder, G.B. Pillai, who has been named Champion of Sustainability at the prestigious Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards.
Pillai has led the firm in its commitment to nature and conservation for more than 40 years, proactively pushing to be as environmentally friendly and ethically responsible as possible. The Champion of Sustainability is a new TOTY Award category that was created to recognise an individual who has made outstanding contributions in the field.
Oscars of the toy industry
The TOTY Awards, which are known as the Oscars of the toy industry, took place in New York City and are the most prestigious awards event in the sector.
Pillai comments: “It is a true honor to receive the Champion of Sustainability award. More than forty years ago, my wife Kamala and I made it our mission to educate our children about the importance of nature, conservation and our environment. These lessons can be found in every facet of our company, from our product development to charitable giving and I’m happy to have made this my life-long mission.
“I’m happy to pass on my legacy and mission to my grandson, Vishnu Chandran, who is now the CEO of Wild Republic. Under his direction, the company will continue its mission in educating our youth about the importance of nature, our environment and conservation.”
With his grandson Chandran serving as CEO of Wild Republic, Pillai’s vision and leadership to develop toys and plush lines that are ethically and environmentally sound continues.
Chandran says: “There is no one more deserving for this award than my granddad. His dedication to conservation, sustainability, and education about our planet, is the cornerstone of our company and continues to be the driving force in everything that we do. I’m so proud of him, and so proud to be able to call him my granddad as well.”
Commitment to conservation & sustainability
Pillai has a long-held commitment to conservation and sustainability and is constantly looking for new ways to protect natural resources, reduce deforestation, and choose alternative natural sources for the company’s products. The business uses recyclable, environmentally friendly packaging to protect and preserve ecosystems, wildlife, and natural habitats. Wild Republic creates durable, cost-effective products that will last for many generations in an effort to reduce waste.
Even though sustainability has always been a priority for Wild Republic, Pillai and the company have reaffirmed their dedication to lowering their carbon footprint by reducing, reusing, and sourcing sustainable products with the Promise to the Planet initiative.
Among the actions in this initiative are the use of fewer chemicals, recycled plastic beans in their plush, 80% recycled cardboard, and printing packaging and tags in environmentally friendly soy ink. By changing its production procedures to remove single-use plastics and incorporate reusable and biodegradable packaging, phthalate-free non-toxic materials, and fully sustainable resources, the company has continued to make progress towards this goal.
Furthermore, Pillai’s passion for all living things serves as the company’s guiding principle. Among the numerous organisations that Wild Republic has founded or supported is a girls’ home in India that houses 60 residents and provides these, primarily orphaned, girls with care, education, and prospects for a bright future.
The firm’s wide range of activities also includes a home for retired milk cows in India, a shelter for homeless dogs in India, and many ongoing donation programmes for children in hospitals all over the world.
New rainforest product range
Pillai’s personal mission, along with the company’s mission, is to create an environment in which nature inspires our children to preserve and protect the earth for future generations. For 2024, for example, Wild Republic is emphasising the importance of rainforests through product and education.
New products will not only delight but will also help to teach people about the importance of protecting rainforests across the world. A percentage of the proceeds from this new line of products will be donated to rainforest preservation initiatives.
The TOTY Awards were announced on 29 September in New York City and launched Toy Fair. The awards are the most important night of the year for the toy sector, which comes together to recognise innovation in all areas of play. The event also serves as a significant fundraiser for The Toy Foundation’s work bringing the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need all over the globe.
Wild Republic’s founder, announced Pillai’s nomination for the award in September, with voting open for Toy Association members from 21 August to 8 September.
